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Maclays snaps up team from collapsed Semple Fraser

8 March 2013 | By James Swift

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Scottish firm Maclay Murray & Spens is hiring seven partners from Semple Fraser, which filed notice to appoint administrators earlier this week.

Semple Fraser sent an email to staff informing them that the firm was going to enter administration earlier this week (6 March 2013). The firm has since nominated RSM Tenon as its administrator (8 March 2013).

The team of seven partners will join Maclays on 11 March. All but one of the new partners hail from the firm’s Glasgow office. The other is based in Edinburgh.

The group comprises six real estate specialists, including Semple Fraser’s managing partner Simon Etchells, and one corporate and renewable energy partner. None of Semple Fraser’s associates or support staff will move to Maclays.

In a statement, Maclays’ chief executive Chris Smylie said: “We’ve been able to move very quickly to hire such an exceptional group of partners. Although we have been aware of the difficulties being experienced by Semple Fraser, we also recognised the very high quality of the individuals and clients involved.

“We are delighted to welcome these outstanding lawyers to MMS and expect to announce further senior lateral hires very soon. This move is a clear example of how our quality-focused strategy, coupled with clear strategic direction and prudent and decisive management, is taking the firm forward.”

The move is in line with earlier reports by The Lawyer (5 March 2013), where Weightmans and Dundas & Wilson were also reported to have been interested in acquiring lawyers from Semple Fraser’s Manchester and Edinburgh offices, respectively.

The departing Semple Fraser team in full:

Joanna Campbell-Smith
Simon Etchells
Bill Fowler
Paul Haniford
Colin Keenan
Barry McKeown
Anju Suneja


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Readers' comments (8)

  • Anonymous | 8-Mar-2013 8:42 pm

    Surprise surprise- semple Fraser truly were a snivelling little firm. The partners protected themselves and to hell with the rest. As a client of mms I am extremely disappointed to see the incompetent etchells join.

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  • Jim | 8-Mar-2013 10:00 pm

    MMS has certainly not lacked direction under Mr Smylie. Unfortunately it has been mainly full reverse. Sympathies to Semple Fraser and its people - looks like a case of any port in a storm for these former partners. Pity its more Hull than Honolulu.

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  • Anonymous | 9-Mar-2013 6:02 am

    A fine example of partners looking after their personal interests while their fee earners and support staff join the dole queue. Also an excellent indication of the possible reasons why SM went bust in the first place. One wonders how long the negotiations with MMS have been going on - only a month ago SM were still saying publicly that they were rock solid. It will be interesting to see how many of them are still at MMS in a year's time.

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  • Anonymous | 9-Mar-2013 1:13 pm

    So much for the crocodile tears, would you trust these lawyers after selling their staff down the river?

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  • Anonymous | 9-Mar-2013 1:37 pm

    Don't see why TUPE shouldn't apply to the secretaries and associates who will have predominantly worked for these partners. They should turn up at MMS Monday asking for their desks.

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  • Anonymous | 9-Mar-2013 6:19 pm

    Good to see these guys finding other opportunities. Demise of SF is a sad story all round.

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  • Mr Grumpy | 10-Mar-2013 5:59 pm

    I'm Alright Jock.

    So having led the firm into administration they abandon ship and all the people who work there.

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  • Jim Jones | 10-Mar-2013 9:09 pm

    Not exactly coup of the century for Maclays, snapping up desperate partners with Bearsden mortgages to pay. No mention of the other fee earners who will now be dumped. Desperate all round for Maclays.

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